STS-114 Mission Update Thread (Part 2)

[mikejz]

No to go off topic. But John Kerry who was at the launch is being interviewed on MSNBC. <br /><br />Seems to say that we should stay in LEO. <br /><br />YUCK!!!

 

[shuttle_rtf]

A large ice issue has also been noted on the "on the LH2 feedline near the tank's aft dome."<br /><br />No idea if that is down the heaters not doing their job.

 

[lunatio_gordin]

I wouldn't ordinarily trust either of our sources but together i guess it must have something to it.<br />Unless the producers at one watch the other in the back room <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" />

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Got two engineers saying no launch for at least five days

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"However -- more than the orbiter hasn't been changed. "</font><br /><br />OK -- from SpaceFlightnow -- they changed a <b>lot</b>... including a bunch of wiring. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br /><i>"Troubleshooting the ECO sensor problem, engineers replaced all of the electrical cabling in Discovery that routes data from the sensors to the shuttle's computers and tore down the point sensor box in the shuttle's engine compartment that routes the data to the computers. <br /><br />The original box was taken out after the April tanking test and disassembled. A box from the shuttle Endeavour was installed for the second tanking test and while it worked normally, it experienced problems later. Engineers tested a sensor box removed from the shuttle Atlantis, which ultimately was installed aboard Discovery. One of the other units will be reassembled, tested and re-installed in Atlantis. "</i>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Make that three. Monday is "at the earliest" as they start troubleshooting now. They are going to start draining now, and look at some troubleshooting as they go.

 

[tap_sa]

<font color="yellow">"A large ice issue has also been noted on the "on the LH2 feedline near the tank's aft dome.""</font><br /><br />Maybe the faulty ECO sensor is red hot and stuck because someone mixed it's and heater's wirings <img src="/images/icons/blush.gif" />

 

[henryhallam]

<font color="yellow"><br />Well... there's also the lines that run from the ET to the launch control center (whatever the proper name is).<br /></font><br /><br />Is this done with a physical cable or over radio? Either could be having problems.

 

[najab]

Physical wires. There's a tunnel that runs from the "equipment room" at the base of the pad back to the LCC.

 

[najab]

I'm not sure, would the current weather have allowed a launch? The picture on NASA-TV looks like there's a slight overcast but no precip, but the Melbourne (FL, not Australia) radar doesn't look quite as good.

 

[scottcarlin]

ECO = Engine Cut-off ???

 

[najab]

Yes. There are sensors in the LH2 and LOX tanks to detect low levels and trigger an engine shutdown. The results of a high performance engine like the SSME running dry are, to put it mildly, impressive (from a safe distance of course!). If any two sensors in a given tank indicate low level, the engines are automatically shut down.<p>The only time the sensors will likely be used is during a return to launch site (RTLS) abort.</p>

 

[marslauncher]

Shuttle launch delayed until at least Saturday<br />Faulty fuel sensor forces NASA to scrub Discovery's liftoff<br />By Thom Patterson<br />CNN<br /><br /> KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida (CNN) -- A faulty fuel sensor aboard the space shuttle Discovery on Wednesday forced NASA to delay its return to space until at least Saturday.<br /><br />Wednesday's attempt to launch, on the first day of a launch window that closes July 31, would have been the space shuttle's first flight since the Columbia disaster 2 1/2 years ago.<br /><br />Wayne Hale, deputy shuttle manager, told reporters Wednesday afternoon the next possible launch attempt would not be until at least Saturday.<br /><br />NASA said the sensor device was showing low fuel levels despite the exterior tank having been filled just hours before.<br /><br />"It will take some time really to understand what to do to remedy the situation," NASA spokesman George Diller said. <br /><br />"There are long faces here in the control center and around the site. Everybody was so looking forward to flying today," Diller said.<br /><br />Crew members were already aboard the orbiter when the launch was canceled.<br /><br />A series of mishaps marked the last 24 hours before Discovery's scheduled launch.<br /><br />On Wednesday morning, it appeared foul weather might postpone the high-profile mission. Repairing a ground heater earlier in the morning had delayed filling the massive external fuel tank.<br /><br />On Tuesday, a cockpit window cover fell off and damaged two protective tiles near the orbiter's tail section.<br /><br />But it was the fuel sensor that stopped the launch, a little more than three hours before the scheduled 3:51 p.m. ET launch.<br /><br />The sensor monitors the amount of super-cold hydrogen fuel in the tank and tells the orbiter's engines to shut down if there's not enough fuel.<br /><br />A launch controller described it as "a low-level fuel sensor in the external fuel tank, one of a set of four -- two of which are needed to work.

 

[najab]

Wow! Mike Griffin just stepped in at the press conference and slapped down a "Really Stupid Question"™ from a reporter at the press-conference.

 

[botch]

So what was the really stupid question (tm)?

 

[redgryphon]

The net result from press conference: NASA needs more data to know what is going on, and NASA can't say what will need to be done until it knows what is going on.<br /><br />The best case scenario has another launch attempt on Saturday.<br /><br />The next press conference will be after the MMT finishes its meeting which begins at noon tomorrow.

 

[najab]

Oh, sorry. Paraphrasing: "Would you have detected this if you have done the third tanking test, and who's going to take responsibility for the decision not to have one."<br /><br />Griffin interrupted Bill Parsons as he started to answer and said something like like: "It's an intermittent fault. It comes and goes. It might have failed any time."

 

[SpaceKiwi]

Did Marcia Dunn ask it? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>

 

[botch]

So the press are taking this to be an embarrassing failure for nasa, I guess I should have seen it coming.

 

[redgryphon]

No, it was the New York Times reporter. Griffin smacked down another reporter yesterday. In answering one question he said he wouldn't talk about the 60-day Study or its conclusions. When later someone asked him if he could explain how he could fund CEV development with the shuttle still flying his response was "Nope! You obviously didn't listen to my previous answer."<br /><br />You have to be on your toes around Mike. All the same, I hope he doesn't alienate the media.

 

[j05h]

>No to go off topic. But John Kerry who was at the launch is <br /> />being interviewed on MSNBC.<br /> />Seems to say that we should stay in LEO.<br /> />YUCK!!! <br /><br />Yeah, during the last election both Kerry and his wife made robots-only and LEO-only statements. They are completely status-quo. They are anti-science and anti-adventure and unelected. <br /><br />Bummer about scrubbing the launch. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[najab]

><i>3. It would have eaten up a week of the launch window.</i><p>Was it a week? I thought it was only a few days.</p>

 

[najab]

Dave, I forgot to remind you to wear a bright yellow shirt, there were some shots of the firing room on NASA-TV, but we couldn't pick you out. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><p>All in all, how was the day? I know not launching was a bummer, but was it a pleasant enough day otherwise?</p>

 

[robot_pilot]

That's probably correct...<br /><br />Incidentally, when the previous poster made the comment on how "moronic" it was to perform some ultimate test on launch day, I was under the impression that he was referring to the ECO sensor switchout. If this is what he was asking, then the answer is this - they HAVE to perform that test every flight, and always do it during replenish.<br /><br />I can't recall a time when we've ever seen this happen, prior to the STS-114 Tanking Test (#1)...

 

[SpaceKiwi]

What's your take on this then, SG? Just a big coincidence and unfortunate luck? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em><font size="2" color="#ff0000">Who is this superhero?  Henry, the mild-mannered janitor ... could be!</font></em></p><p><em><font size="2">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</font></em></p><p><font size="5">Bring Back The Black!</font></p> </div>